CECI’s key to success in humanitarian aid is our development approach aimed at obtaining long-lasting effects. Our actions are part of a continuum: mitigation to prevent and reduce risks tied to climate change, response during the critical hours after a crisis, reconstruction, and social and economic recovery. In our work, we always place particular focus on the safety of women and girls, who are the most vulnerable during times of crisis.

CECI believes strongly in volunteer cooperation as a powerful tool for development. Through our programs, our actions align with our values of equity, solidarity, social justice, gender equality and respect for the environment. Founded upon the notion of mutual strengthening between organizations and networks, CECI’s volunteer programs combine expertise with know-how to more effectively combat poverty.
Our actions are made possible with the commitment of thousands of volunteers in the field, with often amazing results. Their dedication, altruist spirit, willingness and daily, concrete actions with local partners are a testament to their outstanding solidarity and their desire to work together for a better world.

Development is at times a long, slow process whereby a community reaches a certain level of material well-being, in addition to social justice, equity, security, respect for the environment, etc. It involves an individual’s or a group’s capacity to make their own decisions and participate in citizen dialogue. Development is not possible without the participation of the people, meaning democracy. We can make it happen, however, by working together to reach the goal of eradicating poverty by 2030, and “leaving no one behind.” We and 193 other countries agreed to this in September 2015, when the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted.